


Would you like to Dance?

by Zonerz



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comic), Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Dancing is cute dont @ me, Fluff, Im a gal of simple things, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-07-06 02:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15876174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zonerz/pseuds/Zonerz
Summary: Formal Parties are a bore, especially when you gotta be there for the entire week. Stuffy suits and snotty people rub Sonic and Shadow the wrong way, so the two find other things to do. They have to keep themselves SOMEHOW sane. What better way than to learn a few new dance moves?





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> Sonic's a Disaster Gay and That's Okay

Shadow wasn’t one for parties. Though, that doesn’t mean he’ll pout in a corner the whole time, he’s just certainly had his fill of prissy aristocrats for the night. He’d only shown up because G.U.N. needed representatives to rub elbows with some of Mobius’ influencers. The crowd was made up of a mix of royalty such as the humble family of Acorn, recognized heroes such as Sonic, and a plethora of business moguls looking to take advantage of some of the heroes and royalty so they look good in the papers. 

At least that’s what Shadow thought. Perhaps he was just cynical? Or perhaps he simply knew how those types of people worked. Whatever it was, he could only put up with it for so long. Rouge could talk for hours and hours and  _ loved _ getting in a good word for herself. He long since wandered off from her and Omega. There were at least  _ some _ people he knew that had the same distaste for these types of events. Though, they could hold their tongue and force a smile better than him. Princess Sally was one of them, and someone Shadow could get along with. Through some small talk, he found out apparently not as many people showed up as expected. A brief look around at the crowd may not give one that thought, but whatever. Of course there were those where it was unsurprising, such as the ever elusive Queen Aleena. Shadow didn’t know much about her, and had only heard of her in passing. Apparently she and her kingdom isolated themself after Robotnik’s initial takeover and defeat years ago. But again, whatever. One less person to gawk and coo at him.

The party and dinner was held at Castle Acorn, and there was plenty of room outside the castle if he wanted to take a nice, quiet walk. However, it might put his pristine white suit at risk... Shadow weighs his options as he wanders out of the main ballroom and onto the large patio space on the side of the castle. It’s built up with cobble in lovely patterns, old gilded lamps lighting it up under the night sky with a variety of plants creeping their way up the side and intertwining with the stone rails. The incessant chatter of everyone inside gets muffled as he makes his way further outside.

He takes a deep breath and lets out a sigh, releasing the built up tension in his shoulders as he can finally hear himself again. He smiles briefly at the sweet isolation, only hearing the clicking of his shoes. Though his alone time is short lived as he actually takes a look around, finding he’s not as alone as he hoped. 

_ ‘Why did it have to be him of all people..’ _

Shadow wasn’t ready to have his ear talked off by the Blue hero sitting on the rail before him. Yet, Sonic must’ve heard him sigh as he quickly looked back at Shadow, surprised.

“Oh! Shadow! How’s the party?” He grins a bit as the dark hedgehog meanders over to lean on the rail a few feet away. Shadow merely huffs.

“Talkative, stuffy and boring.” He doesn’t skip a beat on speaking his mind, “I’m surprised to see you out here. You seem like the type to  _ enjoy  _ these sorts of things.”

Sonic lets out a curt laugh, “HA! I’d like it better if I didn’t have to wear all this crap..” He chuckles a bit as he tugs at his bowtie. Shadow just hums in silent agreement and switches his attention to the night sky and the nature around him as Sonic continues to fiddle with his suit. The gentle breeze felt nice on his quills. Sonic, finally getting his tie undone and shirt unbuttoned enough to breath picks the conversation back up after the minute or two of silence. 

“Lotta these people just rub me the wrong way.. Totally in it for the press, y’know? I mean, the food’s nice I guess but besides that..” he shrugs. Shadow notes the jacket to his suit was long since discarded and hung across the rail. Sonic rolls up his sleeves, letting out a frustrated sigh as he does. “I love my friends, and frankly they’re the only reason I’m here! Lifestyle just doesn’t do anything for me, ya know? Honestly got huge respect for the people who can not only  _ stand _ these things for more than an hour, but be actively engaged and  _ enjoying _ it! It’s wild to think about, man.” He trails off, shaking his head. Shadow only hums again in acknowledgement.

Silence falls again between the two, a rare occurrence considering Sonic’s nature. The two don’t often agree on things, but it’s unexpectedly nice when they do. But it’s only nice for so long, and Sonic’s presence starts becoming a bit uncomfortable to Shadow. He taps the railing anxiously.

“They were looking for you inside. Sally said they’ll be dancing soon.”

Sonic sighs, “ _ Yeah, I know.” _ He replied with a bit more edge to his voice than usual. Guess this thing really  _ was _ getting to him. It was an odd sight. Sonic the hedgehog, world hero, friend of the world actively  _ avoiding _ a party where he could brag and show off and people would cheer. Then again, Shadow didn’t exactly know Sonic past his base persona. Sonic pulls Shadow out of his thoughts once more with a question.

“How many days is this whole event thing happening again..?”

Shadow sighs, fiddling with his cufflinks, “It’ll be busy here for a week. Today’s the end of Day One..” Sonic only groans loudly in response, dramatically leaning back for emphasis. Eventually he just lies down on the rail, arms behind his head as he looks up at the stars.

“With the way you’re acting, I doubt you’re staying the entire week.” Shadow states bluntly. Sonic laughs nervously.

“Well.. I mean Sal wanted me to stick around. For the sake of my quote un-quote  _ ‘reputation’ _ .” He snickers a bit before sighing, “That was her excuse but I think she just wants as many of us to go through this with her as possible. But.. At this rate..  _ I dunno if I’m gonna survive dude.” _ To which Shadow snorts. Sonic props himself up a bit and grins, proud to have gotten something out of the serious black hedgehog.

“Well then, are you going back in to save the suffering Princess?” Shadow asks, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Eugh, and humiliate myself with my feet of clay in front of everyone??? No offense to Sal but I’ll wait until  _ after _ everyone’s too tipsy to dance.”

“I thought you liked to dance?” If there was  _ one _ thing Shadow knew about Sonic, it’s that he loved breakdancing. And he seemingly loved it even  _ more _ if it was at a completely improper time. Like in the middle of battle. In the line of fire. To say he got upset with the hedgehog multiple times before would be an understatement. Sonic only shrugs.

“I mean  _ yeah.  _ But not  _ this _ type of dancing..”

“This  _ type..?” _ Shadow raises a brow.

“Yeah yknow. The stuffy, boring, awkwardly intimate stuff!” He waves a hand as he talks, finishing off with a grin and eyeroll.

“Ballroom dancing?”

“Yeah that stuff! Its just boring and dumb and—“ he cuts himself off, which draws Shadow’s attention. Sonic just shakes his head, “Never mind! It’s dumb and I just don’t like to do it.” Shadow rests his chin on his hand, looking up at Sonic curiously. Sonic feels his eyes on him, inspecting him. Shadow speaks again, a somewhat playful flair to his voice.

“Well now I’m  _ curious. _ You can’t just  _ not _ tell me.”

“Uhh I  _ can,  _ and  _ won’t!” _ Sonic shoots back, laying back down and attempting to ignore the striped hedgehog. Shadow huffs, standing up straight and stretching a bit before leaning back against the rail and facing Sonic, unsettlingly relaxed. Sonic’s tense because of it. 

“Sonic the hedgehog, do you  _ not _ know how to ballroom dance?”

The question makes Sonic wince a bit. He sits up, looks at Shadow and gives a nervous half grin and shrug. 

_ “I mean.. Maybe not—“ _

“Oh my God Sonic.” Shadow can't help but chuckle. Sonic clenches his fists a bit, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment. 

_ “Knock it off! Like you can do  _ **_better_ ** _!” _

“Like everything else,  _ yes actually.”  _ Shadow smirks a bit and offers his hand, “You want me to  _ prove it?” _

Sonic frowns a bit, looking back and forth from Shadow’s hand to his eyes. He’s unsure to say the least. 

“What? You gonna try n’  _ teach _ me or somethin’?” He pushes out a laugh, completely taken aback by this turn of events. Shadow shrugs, starting to drop his hand.

“It’s not that hard. If saving you some humiliation means I’ll get time to be  _ alone _ out here, then so be it.”

Sonic moves in a flash, grabbing Shadow’s hand before he takes back his offer and accidentally getting rather  _ close _ to his ebony friend. Shadow blinks in surprise at Sonic, who hesitates a second before clearing his throat and awkwardly taking a step back, not quite letting go of the other’s hand though. Shadow takes a breath and takes his hand back, startling Sonic a bit, making him tense briefly before Shadow takes hold of Sonic’s opposite hand.

“This’ll be easier..” Shadow mumbles while he—a bit awkwardly—readjusts himself, standing up straight. Sonic just stares and lets Shadow guide him into proper position. Frankly, Sonic’s glad his face was already red prior to this. Shadow takes a deep breath, breaking the silence but not the tension. “It’s.. It’s truly really simple.” He nods, looking seriously into emerald eyes. Sonic nods back in acknowledgment. Shadow tentatively rests his other hand on Sonic’s waist. He checks their stance, glancing up at Sonic briefly then doing a double take and staring at him hard in concern. 

“You okay with this?”

“ _ Y-Yeah..! Yeah, it’s just uhh.. New yknow?” _ He laughs nervously, looking over everything himself. “Am I okay?”

“Yes, but then again we haven't moved yet. So, we’ll see how long that lasts.” Shadow shrugs and Sonic rolls his eyes.  _ ‘Typical Shadow.’ _

“Alright, alright. How do we start?” Determined green eyes meet red as he smirks. Sonic’s always ready for a challenge. 

“It’s simple as long as long as you can stay in rhythm, as with every kind of dance. Follow my movements..” Shadow gestures for him to watch their feet as they begin. “We’ll start with a simple four step pattern.” And so they do. Shadow takes time with each step as Sonic tries getting down the pattern. Sonic continually clenches and unclenches his hands as he focuses, admittedly making Shadow’s shoulder a bit sore as he digs his fingers in. Shadow doesn’t say anything and just bares it, trusting he’ll quit it on his own. Sonic however doesn’t pick up on his pain but eases up as they continue, completely focused and just listening to Shadow’s voice as he rattles off each beat.

“ _ One.. Two.. Three.. Four..” _ Rinse and repeat. Sonic lets out a sigh and relaxes. He’s a quick learner and smiles a bit as he starts getting good. He sneaks a glance at Shadow, who’s still watching their feet. Sonic realizes how soft his voice is for once. An interesting change to say the least, one he’s certainly not opposed to. Better than being scolded and yelled at or insulted like he expected.  _ ‘He has a nice voice.’ _ Sonic notes. One of  _ those  _ voices; soothing, could listen to him read something absolutely crazy and it’d still sound like a beautiful masterpiece.

Sonic realizes he’s been staring for a while. Sonic also realizes how close they are again. His cheeks grow hot.  _ He panics. _

_ “Ow!”  _ Shadow states more out of surprise than pain. Sonic jumps back as Shadow looks up at him accusingly.

“ _ Sorry, sorry!  _ I-I guess I just couldn’t keep it up for very long..!” He laughs it off awkwardly, knowing that accusing look in Shadow’s eyes is right. But I mean, what else could he do? He  _ had _ to step on his foot. It’s a classic move, and it’s not  _ too _ out of place right? Right. Sonic grins awkwardly, swinging his arms as he looks around for a way to get out of this. Shadow shakes his head and readjusts his suit, letting out a sigh.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” He looks at Sonic, red eyes drilling into him. “You ready enough to go back in?” He nods towards the ballroom again, reminding Sonic of why they’re both even there in the first place. Sonic visibly hesitates before stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking over to peek in one of the windows. People are slowly starting to file out one by one. Sally spots him from inside and frowns a bit, mouthing,  _ ‘Where have you been?’ _ Sonic only gives a half grin and a sorry shrug. He looks back at Shadow.

“Yeah, things look to be finishing up anyways. I’m probably gonna catch up with Sal.” 

Shadows hums in approval as he checks the time on his phone. Day One out of the way. Sonic stays quiet as he thinks but eventually speaks up again.

“Hey uhh, Shads?” He asks rather timidly, drawing Shadow’s attention again. Sonic clears his throat a bit as he rubs his neck. “Could we uhh.. Could we try this again tomorrow night? I-I feel like I’m really getting the hang of this and I wanna be able to do it well for the future.”

“Sally could easily continue teaching you.” He raises a brow in suspicion. Sonic rolls his eyes.

“Yeah well Sal’s not  _ you _ .” 

There’s a pause as he realizes how awkward that could potentially be and stumbles over his words to explain, “A-As like a teacher! Plus I don't wanna waste my day working on it like I know she’d make me do. It’s better like this! When I've had enough of all the stuffy people but can't just leave!” He gives a nervous chuckle, “Uhh so, whaddaya say..? Will you humor me?”

Shadow quietly thinks over his words. It makes Sonic anxious. It makes Shadow  _ unsure.  _ Yet, Shadow eventually sighs and crosses his arms. 

“Alright. We’ll meet here again tomorrow night.” He begins walking off, ready to call it a night but stops to brush shoulders with Sonic. “ _ Don’t keep me waiting.” _ He says slyly with a smirk before leaving the cobalt hero on his own. A shiver ran down Sonic’s spine as he took in a deep breath. He chuckles to himself as he shakes his head.  _ ‘Typical Shadow.’ _ He walks back to the railing, picks up his jacket and books it back inside to meet up with Sally. He decides he’ll hold back on talking about the dancing, best to save it for a cool surprise!


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic's had an emotional rollercoaster of a night, supPose it's only natural for the world's best hero!

 

Sonic laughs tensely as he detaches one clingy girl from him, trying to wriggle his other arm out of the grip of the other in the meantime. He’s certainly been _popular_ tonight, reminding him why he doesn’t usually attend these events. He flashes his signature grin to the girls once he’s free from their hands once more. They whine and pout but don’t get time to grab him again he bursts across the room in a flash of blue then quickly blends back into the crowd. He lets out a sigh under his breath as he smiles and waves at each person he passes once more. There’s more people here tonight. Far more. And while he’s _used_ to them, crowds aren’t his thing. He’s _Sonic._ The free runner and hero of Mobius! Being stuck between all these people just isn’t _natural_.

It’s a beautiful night once again, and the ballroom is certainly spacious normally, but with so many people packed inside, it’s hard to truly appreciate it. Golds, browns, natural greens and whites in a rococo style dance up the walls with beautiful tiling to match. Chandeliers with intricate crystals hang above the crowd. Certainly it’s quite a job to clean this place up…

Sonic narrowly avoids a waiter swinging his plate around as he dodges and weaves his way through the crowd. He grimaces as he accidentally steps on someone else’s foot, a shrieking yelp piercing his ears as he nervously backs away.

_“Sorry! Sorry!”_

He smiles weakly and waves as he gets quite the variety of looks, ranging from scowls of distaste to wide eyes in awe of such a celebrity. He quickly turns away once more, only to be grabbed by the wrist and yanked out of the crowd with a yelp. He’s quickly spun around to—blessedly—see a familiar pair of blue eyes. Sally smiles impishly, playfully giving him a push as she starts talking.

“What a good image you’re making for yourself tonight.” She chuckles, and Sonic can’t help but laugh along weakly. He sighs.

“ _Yeah.._ Your fault for dragging me here.” He grins teasingly, knowing Sally most likely pulled him aside to keep the Freedom Fighter’s reputation safe as a whole. Had it been just Sonic representing himself, she’d probably let him putz about a _bit_ longer.

She rolls her eyes, but can't help the smile on her face. Of all people Sonic knows, Sal _certainly_ blends the best here. Though since her family’s the _host_ that’s probably only natural. She’s elegant and regal, as usual. Her hair over her shoulder with a shining long orange dress and gold headdress to match the accents. Sonic’s suit looks cheap compared to it.

She crosses her arms, a brow raised, _“So!_ You plan on disappearing again tonight right when the night gets _good?”_

Sonic laughs nervously, tugging at his collar, “Gets _good..?”_

“ _Yes Sonic._ The _best_ part. A.K.A, when everyone starts tripping over their own feet!” She takes his hands and spins them a bit with a laugh. Sonic laughs nervously, glancing around the two of them for a way to get out of the situation. He eventually takes his hands back, resting ‘em on his hips as he starts backing away slowly.

“ _Well, we’ll just have to see how the night plays out!”_

“ _Really?”_ Sally replies, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Really, really!” Sonic replies one final time and quickly turns, pushing off with enough force to break the sound barrier. However, instead of running out of the room and looking very cool while doing it. He slams face first into the _last_ person you’d wanna. _Shadow._

A lot happens in a flash, as often with these two. There’s a chorus of gasps. Shadow’s drink spills on him, then smashes on the floor. The two of them almost fall—primarily Sonic— _into_ the broken glass. Shadow regains his footing, catching Sonic, who frantically grabbed at Shadow’s now stained suit in an attempt to keep himself up. Shadow stumbles but pulls Sonic back up and aside from the mess.

A silence settles as Sonic and everyone process what just happened. Sonic stares wide eyed at the glass, then snaps his gaze to Shadow who’s suit he’s still gripping. Shadow’s eyes are closed, his fists clenched. Sonic shoves himself off and away from him, not wanting to make the hotheaded hedgehog anymore upset. If that happened, this could only get _worse._

He backs away from the silent crowd, meeting many disappointed and shocked faces in the crowd. He grimaces as Sally sighs. _‘Idiot!’_ He chides himself and bites his lip, shaking his head before he runs off. Once turned the corner the crowd erupts in gossip-spreading whispers. Sally groans and steps up on a nearby table. She holds her dress as she slams the table with her foot a few times to grab the attention of the crowd.

 _“Okay everyone, everything’s fine! It was just an accident! We’ll clean it up! Lets not let this disturb the peace alright?”_ She pauses for a good moment, sharp blue eyes scanning the room, before she claps, _“Alright!”_ She hops down from the table, her heels hitting the tiles and echoing throughout the ballroom, like a gavel in a courtroom. The room explodes once more with chatter and music as if nothing had ever happened. Sally sighs and makes her way over to Shadow, who’s busy taking his—now wet—suit jacket off. Rouge shakes her hand as she looks at the mess then to Sally sympathetically.

“Rough night for Blue it seems.. Poor dear can’t catch a break.”

Sally sighs, “Yeah.. I’ll go—“

“Don’t.” Shadow cuts her off, to both her and Rouge’s surprise. He scowls at his jacket before slinging it over his shoulder and letting out a tense sigh. He looks to Sally, “You need to stay here, we don’t want your family being known as bad hosts. Ease the tension, _I’ll_ talk to Sonic.” He moves to start walking out but Rouge catches him by the collar.

_“Ah! If you go after him, you best not get into a fight!”_

Shadow rolls his eyes as he sluggishly spins to face her. “I _won’t._ I may be.. _Very upset._ But, I know image is important, especially _here.”_ He slips her hand off his shoulder and begins walking back, “I _promise_ I won’t embarrass you.” His states, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Rouge crosses her arms and shakes her head as Shadow turns and begins walking out after Sonic.

Sally and Rouge share a glance of doubt before shrugging and parting ways once more, each diving deep into the crowds once more.

~~~~~~~~

Shadow takes a deep breath as he makes his way through the halls, glancing down each corridor for the speedy pain in his side. But he must admit, even if his suit is stained, at least it got him away from everything earlier than the previous night. The more time he got alone and the more time to relax, the _better._

The large castle was awfully pleasing to admire, but a pain when searching for someone. He begins to get frustrated again as he peeks around another corner. _‘He better not have ran off completely.’_ He frowns, glancing around for anyone else before picking up his pace. A fiery red streak checking each hall before coming to a stop a minute or so later.

Nothing.

He lets out another angry sigh, seriously considering heading back and letting the blue hero deal with everything on his own. Talk about a waste of time! He takes a last look around at the hall he’s found himself in. A few paintings, big windows and blinds and at the end of the hallway, some elegant french doors.

Shadow nearly slaps himself as he looks at them. _‘Outside. The blue idiot loves the outdoors. He’s probably been out there the entire goddamn time.’_ Shadow groans to himself as he quickly makes his ways to the doors, noticing that one has been left slightly ajar as he approaches.

He notices himself holding his breath as he reaches for the door handle. _‘Odd.’_ He shakes his head with a sigh, focusing on the task at hand. He pushes open the door, stepping out onto one of the many stone pathways of the gardens. He slows down, closing the door gently out of habit. He takes a moment to admire the greenery around him.

While he’s been on both Earth and Mobius for a good while now, it’s times like this where he realizes how spectacular the nature of the planets really are. So different from what he grew up with for years. Nothing is artificial. He still feels out of place with it all frankly, but he’s trying.

He begins walking further into the garden, hands held uniformly behind his back. Eventually, he gets to the main area of the garden. A lovely clearing in a neat circle, breaking off into several other pathways with neatly trimmed shrubs lining them. The large variety of flowering bushes and small trees about twice as tall as Shadow himself yet trimmed enough so it’s not a jungle. A beautiful array of soft colors. White flowers like pom-poms, lilacs, and sharp pinks dulled by the moonlight.

A few antique benches sit between pathways, but the main attraction is an old fountain in the center. Bronze and golds accent the main white stone in beautiful ivy patterns. Of course, it’s not as sharp as it used to be. Years of the elements will have its effects. Yet even so, it still stands triumphantly in the center. Fully-functional and a true testament to the Acorn family’s success.

Shadow stops before the fountain, taking a few minutes to just listen to the water running. He lets out another sigh as he leans against the ledge. Then he hears something. His eyes shoot open again,as he scans the immediate area. He focuses on one the pathway directly to his right. _‘Footsteps. Sonic.’_ He considers moving towards the path but bails as he watches Sonic turn the corner.

Emerald eyes lock with crimson. Sonic freezes. _‘What is he_ **_doing_ ** _here?’_  He stands there awkwardly, not wanting to approach yet, but running off would be _too_ awkward the next time he runs into Shadow. Shadow takes note of his hesitation and rolls his eyes, throwing his ruined jacket onto the short wall of the fountain.

“ _What’re you—“_ Sonic forces a chuckle but is cut off.

“Let’s talk.” Fiery red eyes drill into Sonic and Shadow does his signature arm cross. If he _really_ wants to run then now’s his chance, but, no. He won’t. He’s _Sonic the hedgehog!_ Fastest thing alive and known for facing his problems head on! Yet, usually his problems are ones he can clean up with a few good punches or kicks…

Sonic sighs and breaks Shadow’s gaze with a nod. He stuffs his hands in his pockets as he makes his way over to the ebony hedgehog. He stops just before him and steels himself for Shadow to start. But there’s nothing. Sonic knows Shadow hasn’t stopped staring at him so he wonders what’s up. He sneaks a brief glance but nothing’s changed.

There’s silence. Then Sonic finally opens his mouth.

“ _I’m—“_

“Sorry. I know. Apology accepted.” Shadow cuts him off.

Sonic blinks. First off, he _knows?_ Is Sonic that easy to read these days? Secondly, already accepted for ruining probably one of his best suits? Sounds fake. He frowns, furrowing his brow.

“Now, hold up. I can _pay_ for—“

“As generous as that is, it won’t be necessary. No offense but I already am better off in the cash department than you are.” Shadow sighs, irritated. “ _Look,_ I didn’t search through that damn castle and come all the way out here to complain to you about my _suit.”_ Sonic rolls his eyes to the heavens as he speaks. He snaps back.

“Then answer my first question, that you so _kindly_ cut me off from finishing. Why are you _here?”_ Sonic puts his hands on his hips, not ready to deal with Shadow’s attitude on top of everything. He came out here to calm down, not listen to _this_ spiel again. Shadow opens his mouth to shoot back, but finds himself choking on his words. Sonic raises a brow and Shadow scowls. He hates the possible vulnerability that comes with this sort of thing. Sonic can either ease up, or get annoyed and frustrated and he doesn’t have a clue how this hedgehog will respond. He holds his gaze.

“I came to _check_ on you.”

Sonic, who had been fully prepared to argue, now finds _himself_ at a loss for words. _Shadow_ has come to check on _him?_ Why? Sally could have done the same with less risk of a fight breaking out. As if reading his mind, Shadow continues.

“That little _accident_ was _our_ problem. I figured we should just, settle it now. Not cause any problems later. And..” Shadow’s eyes briefly flicker away as he chooses his words wisely, “With.. How you ran _out.._ That wasn’t normal for you…” He trails off, completely breaking his gaze from Sonic’s now. He’s tense, and the air is heavy and awkward as Sonic takes his sweet time to respond. Sonic eases up, a small grin creeping onto his face.

“You were _worried_ about me…”

Shadow swiftly punches Sonic in the arm, nothing horrible but enough to make a point. Sonic yanks his arm back and laughs.

 _“Don’t let it go to your head hedgehog!_ I was just..! _Concerned_ about..” Shadow trails off, realizing he’s just dug his grave deeper, he lets out a frustrated growl and waves Sonic off before stepping away. He begins to pace as he fumes at himself. Sonic just chuckles. It’s not often one sees the ol’ edgelord all _flustered_. Sonic’s seen him like this maybe once before, and it was just as endearing then as it is now. Sonic finishes up his little laughing fit with a deep breath and a smile.

“ _Thank you,_ Shadow.”

The black hedgehog slows to a stop with a pause before he lets out an irritated sigh. He nods as he regains his composure, ready to listen. Sonic, noting his attention, continues.

“I guess I’ve just been... _stressed!_ There’s a few things about this party that have made me uhhh, worried I guess? It’s weird I know!” Sonic tries laughing it off, rubbing his neck. He takes in a long breath and glances at Shadow who’s still listening intently. He rubs his eyes, “So I've just.. Been on edge all _night!_ And running into _you_ like that..!” He huffs and shakes his head. Shadow frowns, studying the blue hedgehog before him. He crosses his arms as he mulls over what Sonic said.

“A few _things?_ Sonic, if the Doctor threatened something and you’re worried about _that_ , you can tell _me_ of all people. I can take care of him.” Shadow rests his hands on his hips, finding it odd that Eggman of all people could make Sonic this upset. Sonic cuts off his thoughts with a nervous laugh.

“You think _Egghead_ is what I’m worried about?” He asks Shadow incredulously. Shadow gets defensive.

“Well I’m _sorry_ I don’t know—“

Sonic cuts him off with another laugh, shaking his head and waving his hands.

“It’s not him, but thank you for offering to deal with the old coot. Look, Shads, Im just feeling off overall. Don’t worry about it! If _you’re_ okay with…” He glances at the stained suit jacket lying on the fountain’s ledge. “... _Everything,_ then I just wanna move on! Yknow?” He flashes Shadow his usual bright smile, but Shadow can’t shake the feeling there’s something deeper going on. Regardless, if Sonic isn’t willing to talk to him now, pushing won’t do anything but make him upset. He decides to stay quiet and just go along with it.

“Yes.. I understand.” The two share a nod of understanding. Sonic sighs with a smile.

“Good! Let’s talk about something else! Or if you wanna go back to the party, go ahead!” Sonic waves Shadow off and moves to go admire the garden again in silence. Shadow frowns, speaking quickly before Sonic gets a chance to run off.

“I actually had something else in mind.”

This catches the blue hedgehog’s attention. His ears perk up curiously as he spins on his heel, hands on his hips, to face Shadow once more.

“ _Oh?”_

Shadow nods and starts rolling up his sleeves. This small moment is the first time Sonic’s gotten a good look at Shadow tonight. With the top of his suit discarded, all that’s left is a loose button-up, black suspenders to match his belt, and his quills pulled up and tied together in a ponytail. No gloves or anything but the same golden inhibitor rings as always. Sonic for once feels _fancier_ than Shadow. He has a complete suit for starters, simple blacks and whites topped off with his classic red bow tie.

He snaps back to reality as Shadow meets his gaze then offers his hand out to Sonic.

“You _wanted_ to continue right? We planned to meet about this time anyways…”

Sonic stares at Shadow’s hand in pleasant surprise. He smiles assuredly and takes it with a nod.

“Honestly? That sounds _great.”_ He takes a chipper step closer, “Where do we start?”

Shadow sighs as he thinks. He taps his leg as he thinks aloud, “How about…” He glances at Sonic, who’s staring at him expectantly. Heh straightens and nods at him, “Same thing as yesterday, but this time, _you’re_ leading.”

Sonic blinks.

“ _I’m—“_

“Leading, yes.” Shadow says with a smirk as he starts getting into position. But then he stops, noticing Sonic’s dumbfoundedness. “Are you okay?”

Sonic takes a moment to process his words then grins a cheeky half grin. Shadow raises a brow, only for Sonic to excitedly take hold of Shadow’s other hand and pull him into position. Shadow stumbles at the sudden action but falls into place. He glares at the hedgehog before him, whose hands are now resting patiently on his waist. It’s always like this with Sonic, one second Shadow thinks he has him figured out, then he just turns the tables.

The ebony hedgehog takes proper hold of Sonic’s hand and rests the other on his shoulder. He glances down at their feet and then makes a quick check over their stance. He has to hand it to Sonic, he _does_ learn quickly. But of course he can’t just say that to his face, his ego is already big enough.

“Do you want me to count again?” He glances up at Sonic again, making Sonic think. Rhythm was never really a _problem,_ and now that he’s got the basic steps down, it’d be rather pointless.

Yet, he also remembers how pleasant his voice was.

“Uhhh yeah! I could still use it I think!” Sonic laughs a bit and Shadow nods. He takes a step back and the two fall into step.

“ _One.. Two.. Three.. Four..”_ Words repeated again and again until they become drowned out and just a part of the scene. Sonic absentmindedly begins humming along with each step. He can't help but get wrapped up in this. In a beautiful garden, dancing under moonlight. With..

_With someone he had never foreseen himself spending such time with._

He notices a small smile tugs at Shadow’s lips as he speaks. Sonic’s stomach turns and his nervousness returns. He lets out a tense laugh.

“ _What?”_ He asks.

Shadow shakes his head, finding it harder to hide his smirk.

“Come _on!_ I’m not messing up spectacularly without me noticing am I…” He laughs a bit in dread. Shadow shakes his head and sighs as they slow down to talk.

“You’re just.. surprisingly enjoying this for someone who thinks this kind of dancing is, oh what was it? _Boring and stuffy?”_ Shadow teases with a smirk. Sonic’s cheeks flare up as he laughs nervously. Shadow continues, “ _That_ was _one_ thing.”

“Oh great, there’s more?” Sonic leads them back into their dance as Shadow’s smile grows.

“ _Yes._ For someone who _needs_ me to count each step, you’ve been dancing rather quickly. Hope you plan putting this to use before the week’s up.”

“ _Ha!_ We’ll see about that.”

“Nervous?”

“ _No!”_ His tone becomes a tad defensive and Shadow just raises a brow. Sonic shrugs, “I don’t wanna give the public the wrong idea too soon into the week. The less reporters there, the less tabloids there’ll be!”

“But the more rumors will spread.”

“They always do.”

Shadow scoffs, “ _Annoyingly so.”_ He rolls his eyes, “Back on subject. You _also_ !” Sonic spins Shadow, then pulls him back, using the momentum to dance circles together around the fountain, “Kept drowning my instructions out with your own _humming.”_

“Oh is that _bad?_ I _sincerely_ apologize.” His voice drips with sarcasm as he leans in for emphasis. Shadow just rolls his eyes while Sonic laughs. “You’re not gonna be a _buzzkill_ now are ya? This is a _party_ , have some fun!”

“ _Tch._ Keep sassing and see what happens, Faker. But no, it was just, unexpected is all. Not _bad.”_

“You can just say you like my music Shads, no need to be _shy.”_

“You can believe what you _like.”_ Shadow says as he spins away from the Blue hedgehog, much to his amusement.

“Why do you always gotta _argue_ with me?”

“Keeps things interesting.” Shadow states with a shrug as he hops up onto the fountain’s ledge. He holds his hand out again, “Hop up. Balance is good to practice.”

Sonic stares up at the ebony hedgehog. The moonlight bouncing off of his dark fur and lighting up his white shirt gives him an almost ethereal look. Sonic smiles and takes his hand, letting Shadow pull him up.

The light bouncing off of the water of the fountain silhouettes them as Shadow takes hold of Sonic’s hands. He leads them back and forth on the narrow ledge, both hedgehogs watching their steps carefully.

 _“One. Two. Three. Four.”_ He speeds up the tempo, Sonic able to follow along well. The water, their footsteps and voices the only sounds in the garden. Occasionally one or the other stepping a bit too close to the edge, causing a tremor between the two as they struggle to keep their balance. Sonic can’t help but laugh as they go. Shadow stays concentrated, but Sonic’s carefree attitude—something he usually couldn’t stand—is somewhat infectious. He holds himself together, but a smile once again tugs at the edges of his mouth. He spins Sonic then dances smoothly around him, switching sides as Sonic settles back into position.

Catching Shadow’s hands again, Sonic grins. He’s noticed how bright Shadow’s eyes are during this. He hasn’t seen Shadow enjoying himself a lot, but with the way he tries hiding his smile and how the atmosphere around him changes, Sonic knows he certainly wants to see it more.

Shadow steps on his jacket which was still laying on the fountain’s ledge, messing up his steps and causing Sonic to stumble forward. Shadow spins back around Sonic, using the momentum to fly back into the routine. By the time Sonic realizes what happened, they’re already back at it. He stares at Shadow dumbfounded before chuckling and putting his energy into it.

The two hedgehogs swing along the thin rock, dancing faster and faster, getting wrapped up in this as the clock ticks away and the moon continues to move through the sky.

They spin away from each other on the narrow ledge, but the last second they catch each other’s hands. They pull back in to continue, but, Sonic changes the routine on impulse. Call what you will, but with the energy engulfing them and no one else around, he didn’t think twice about it. He catches Shadow by the waist and, using the momentum, drops him into a dip and stops.

Shadow’s eyes widened as he instinctively clung to Sonic to keep from falling and the two freeze in an equal amount of shock.  Both hedgehogs now too acutely aware of every move they make. They stare wide eyed at each other as they process what just happened. Sonic’s stomach ties up in knots but he can’t seem to pull himself away. He couldn’t help but be enamoured by how the moonlight softened Shadow’s eyes. How it felt to hold him like this. Shadow notes the opposite. How Sonic surely seems like he’s _glowing,_ his eyes shining emeralds that are both sharp and intoxicating. The air is tense. It’s silent save for their breathing. Yet, neither dare break eye contact.

But _someone’s_ gotta do _something_. So, Sonic sucks in a breath and lifts Shadow back up to his feet, then steps away once he’s steady. He breaks his gaze, yanking Shadow back into reality. He hops off the fountain ledge and clears his throat, giving Shadow his space as Sonic tries calming down the butterflies in his stomach. Shadow eventually steps down for himself and Sonic can feel his gaze on his back. He’s glad it’s dark. Maybe it’ll help hide the redness in his cheeks. The same can’t be said for poor Shadow though, who he glances back at to check on. Being half alien has its pros and cons, and the green blood that flushes his cheeks makes them glow a soft yellow-green hue. Sonic of course, freaks out. He steps closer.

“Oh _Chaos!_ Are you okay? You’re not sick are you?” The blue hedgehog fumbles over his words, starting to mentally berate himself for causing Shadow such distress. Shadow takes a breath to steady himself, knowing he’s been called out. He responds cooly.

“No, Im fine! Why?” He knows why.

“Your face is kinda _green_ …” Sonic’s brows furrow as Shadow quickly looks away to keep him from getting a better look. _What’s wrong with him? Why is he acting so childish?_ Shadow scowls at himself. He should be able to handle this stuff by now.

“It’s fine! I’m just…” His eyes scan the ground quickly as he thinks of an excuse, “I’m tired is all.” He nods at Sonic over his shoulder, who nods back warily. Shadow takes a breath as the awkward silence settles. He grabs his suit jacket and is about to leave Sonic when he stops. He grips the fabric in his hands, then turns back to him once more.

“That was…” He trails off, rephrasing what he wants to say in his head, “You did well.”

Sonic perks up. He laughs nervously with a smile.

 _“Yeah!_ Haha..!”

Shadow nods, looking now at the suit in his hands, fiddling with it. He takes another breath, looking back up one last time.

“Try again tomorrow?”

That was something that caught Sonic off guard. He stares at the ebony hedgehog before him (but catches himself before he makes it awkward). He hesitates and Shadow grips his jacket a bit tighter.

“I’m… I’m okay with that! But…” He rubs his neck, “If you’re uncomfortable or feeling sick, I don’t want to push you.”

“If I didn’t think I was capable, would I have offered, Sonic?” He raises a brow at the blue hedgehog who relaxes a bit. If Shadow still has his attitude, then he’ll probably be okay. Hey! Maybe he _doesn’t_ actually hate him this time! Sonic nods slowly.

“That’s fair…” He trails off, a tone of uncertainty in his voice. Shadow sighs, truly feeling tired now.

 _“Do you wanna meet or not?”_ Shadow drawls, causing Sonic to get nervous and quickly answer before the mood grows sour.

“Yes! We can meet where we did yesterday… For real this time!” He jokes, chuckling softly and drawing a huff and small smirk from Shadow.

“Same place then.” Shadow nods at him in adieu, and walks off. Sonic listens for his steps to grow silent before he lets out the breath he’d been holding.

_It’s been a long night._

  
  
  
  
 

 


	3. Day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ew it's time to start FEELING things and be in DENIAL because these fellas are both DISASTERS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im so sorry for not posting an update in like 3 months and having an update that is probably Slightly Disappointing. I have a dumb monkey brain that can't focus on one project at a time apparently also school exists and that's been kicking my butt lately lkasdjflksadjflksdafjksladfj
> 
> I LOVE YALL AND I WILL FINISH THIS I JUST CAN'T PROMISE UPDATES TO BE SUPER CONSISTENT. THEY WILL COME !!! AND I HAVE A PLAN FOR THIS FIC!!!! BUT IDK THE TIMELINE. LOVE YALL THANK U FOR DEALING WITH MY SILLY MONKEY BRAIN THAT JUMPS FROM FANDOM TO FANDOM LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

A sigh of frustration and anxiety escapes the ebony hedgehog. He taps the rail impatiently as he looks around for any sign of Sonic. He’s been standing here waiting for a while now and his patience was wearing thin. Finding no immediate traces of the quick-footed hero, he huffs and leans on the rail once more.

 _‘This is ridiculous. I shouldn’t have agreed, I feel like a complete fool out here.’_ Shadow runs a hand through his quills, checking his watch once more. He isn’t usually this anxious. What’s gotten into him? Perhaps all those pincushions inside were really starting to get to him. _‘Bad news for just the third day.’_ He groans as he rubs his eyes.

“Long night?”

Shadow’s ears perk up at the familiar voice. Cheerful as always it seems. Shadow turns around to face Sonic, still leaning up against the railing, a frown on his face.

“For the fastest thing alive you certainly _took your time.”_

Sonic stops and rests his hands on his hips with a slight grin. “Aww you _waited_ for me! That’s sweet Shads, truly I’m flattered.”

Shadow rolls his eyes in response. While his patience was a bit shorter than usual, he oddly felt a little bit better now that Sonic had shown up. _‘Wait a minute.’_ Why _did_ he feel better? Sonic usually makes his patience worse. _‘There better not have been something in my drink.’_

 _“Shadow?”_ Sonic snaps his fingers, and Shadow quickly snaps back up, red eyes wide and attentive again. Sonic flinches a bit and holds his hands up reassuringly, “ _Woah!_ Easy man, you just zoned out on me for a minute there..” he chuckles softly, inspecting the black hedgehog. “You uh.. _You feelin’ okay Shads..?”_

Shadow was at a crossroads now. He could tell Sonic the truth that he was feeling honestly pretty odd, which the notoriously caring Blue hero would certainly understand. OR he could keep up his end of the deal, play it off, and keep his pride in tact. It was a hard decision.

And by hard I mean pride won.

“I’m fine. We should start, yes?” He stands straight and stretches a bit before fixing his suit. Sonic certainly takes notice, grimacing a little internally at the reminder of how ridiculous he’d been yesterday. He was wearing his G.U.N. uniform, badges and all. Not particularly this party’s style but he’s certainly not going to be nagged about it. It works well enough until he can get something else sorted out, something Rouge undoubtedly already has taken care of. The navy blue suit, barrage of badges, gold lining and white gloves are a good combo for him.

Sonic realizes his gaze was a lingering a bit too long when Shadow loudly cleared his throat. The blue hedgehog perked up and laughed nervously. _Smooth Sonic._ With a clap of his hands, he moves on.

 _“Right! Yes!_ Let’s start.” He gives Shadow a nod and offers out his hand, the hedgehog taking it surprisingly gently. Sonic smiles and tugs the other hedgehog closer into position. Frankly, Sonic was growing used to this, Shadow seemed to fall into place naturally with him.

 _Except for some odd reason Shadow was holding his breath._ Shadow was surprised his odd behavior had gone unnoticed as the two started dancing in circles. Sonic had initially taken the lead which Shadow was honestly thankful for, but as time went on he was growing uncomfortable.

Not because they were dancing! No of course not. Nor was it Sonic. He thinks. Maybe it was? He had no clue what was eating at him at this point, but what he DID know was that he was acutely aware of _everything_ at once. The bounce in each of Sonic’s steps, how their hands had become intertwined— _when did that happen?—_ and the other rested nicely on the small of his back. Then of course how close the two had gotten. Hell, he could feel Sonic’s breath against his skin and fur.

_This was… Overwhelming._

Then that swell of pride returned. _‘Play it off.’_ The striped hedgehog sucked in a breath, his tension growing palpable. Sonic frowned, noting how Shadow wasn’t really meeting his gaze.

 _‘Chaos did I really mess up last night?’_ To say he had been a bit… _impulsive_ , he felt was putting it too lightly. Especially since Shadow was so off now. He could only hope he hadn’t seriously messed up their friendship.

He opened his mouth to ask if Shadow was alright, but never got the chance to utter a word. In one swift movement, Shadow jerked himself out of Sonic’s hold with a tight spin. He pushes off and catches Sonic’s hands with his own, using the momentum to bound into something a bit more fast paced. The tension shatters as Sonic laughs at the sudden change, wrapping his arms tightly around Shadow’s neck as the hedgehog lifts him by the waist and spins the two.

With the momentum they’d built, setting Sonic back down without him stumbling and dragging Shadow along was near impossible. The blue hedgehog clung to the collar and back of Shadow’s uniform as he tripped over his own feet, laughing too much out of glee to really care. Shadow cracks a slight smile at the hedgehog’s great mood. How Sonic managed to be so happy over silly little things like this was still a mystery to him, but it doesn’t annoy him as much these days.

Nostalgic thoughts aside, at least the ebony hedgehog had managed to avoid a few questions. He let out a sigh before the blue hedgehog caught his attention once more. Emerald eyes lock onto red as Sonic smiles brightly at him.

_And that tightness in his stomach returns._

Sonic stands up straight, clearing his throat before giggling a little more. He looks down in an attempt to hide it but is of course completely obvious. Shadow eases into a soft sway with Sonic as he settles down. With a content sigh, the blue hedgehog looks up with an almost dreamy look in his eyes, striking Shadow off guard. _That was it._

Shadow abruptly pushes himself away from Sonic, turning the other way and coughing a bit. Sonic’s eyes widen as he’s snapped back into reality. He hurries back over to him, resting a hand on his arm.

 _“Oh shit!_ Chaos, Shadow, are you okay? You didn’t have to—“

 _“I’ll be fine!”_ He snaps back and pulls his arm away from Sonic’s grip, walking past him without meeting his gaze. Shadow crosses his arms tightly as Sonic watches him, confused. He hesitates but speaks up, worry and a hint of guilt laced in his tone.

_“Did… Did I—“_

“No.” Shadow cuts him off, catching Sonic by surprise. While he’s glad it seemingly isn’t him, he gets a bit frustrated.

“Okay well _explain_ to me what’s _going on_ then.” He rests his hands on his hips expectantly. Shadow rolls his eyes then lets out a huff as he continues walking. Sonic, living up to his name, appears suddenly in front of him in a quick flash of blue. Shadow blinks in brief surprise before Sonic blocks him. He tries the other direction, only for Sonic to mirror his movements again.

And again.

And _again._

“ _Shadow, come on man..”_ Sonic sighs, catching the other hedgehog by the shoulders. He pulls Shadow to look at him, the latter being sluggish in his movements. He _really_ doesn’t like to explain himself. He steps away from Sonic again.

“I just need some _space_ right now.” He stares at Sonic hard, but it doesn’t really faze the blue hedgehog. In a second, he drops it with a sigh. “Look. I lied, okay?”

Sonic’s chest tightens. This was his fault, it had to be and now Shadow was gonna lay down the law. The truth is harsh but he’s just gonna have to—

“I haven’t felt great all day to be perfectly honest. I… couldn’t tell you why…” Shadow finishes with a shrug.

 _Oh!_ Sonic blinks. That was… _a lot simpler than expected._ He cocked a brow.

“Like… _For real?_ Nothing more?”

“Nope. Just…” Shadow rubs his arms a bit with a shrug. “Off-day. I don’t really want to talk about it, I just need some space and time for myself tonight.” He clenches his jaw a bit, tense at making such an odd request and for seeming so overly emotional. He’s usually better at keeping himself together.

Sonic picks up on his stress and nods, “I get that… Sorry for uh, pushing and stuff. I’ll leave you be for the night. Heck, I honestly might go back to my place and crash early tonight. Sleeping in and catching up on some sleep would feel _great.”_

Sonic grins and Shadow lets out an amused huff. Sonic chuckles a bit in return and the two linger briefly before Shadow clears his throat. Sonic’s cheeks redden a bit as he hops out of Shadow’s path.

 _“Sorry!_ Er— Have a good rest of your night Shads, I hope ya feel better!” He hesitates then stuffs his hands into his pockets with a shrug, “Text me or somethin’! And I mean if ya need anything, it’s not like I got a lot _better_ stuff to do.”

“This party isn’t _‘better’?_ ” Shadow raises a brow, a sly grin creeping across his face. Sonic snorts.

“Haven’t we been _over this?_ Ain’t my kind of shindig! The people in there can be _really_ overbearing and since most of my friends are busy being distracted by reporters, aristocrats and fans, they can’t distract me forever.”

“So I’m your distraction, huh?”

“Just a bit! But don’t take that in like, the _bad_ way! I mean— uhh..” He starts stumbling over his own words, “You’re _great!_ Really, I’ve never enjoyed a party like this as much as I have when I’m with you.” He smiles and Shadow’s cheeks flush a light green once again. He nods at him then looks away, starting to walk off quickly now in hopes of Sonic not noticing.

“I’ll consider your offer, and I’ll certainly take the compliment! But,” he flicks his hand in a brief wave back to the other hedgehog. “I’ll be going now _Faker_. Don’t succumb to the paparazzi or something in the meantime.”

“ _Clever,_ very articulate and thought out Mr. Robotnik!” He claps and Shadow briefly turns and gives a mock bow, making Sonic laugh. “Have a good night!”

“Will do.” And with that, Shadow opens one of the doors to return inside and disappears within the castle. Sonic is left smiling to himself rather foolishly. He does a few stretches for his arms and legs on the peaceful patio, taking in the night before taking out his phone. He’ll at _least_ text Sal that he’s leaving early. After sending the text, he promptly shoves his phone away and dashes off without waiting for a response.

~~~~~~

Shadow sifts through the crowd as he attempts to find Rouge. If he leaves, he should at least tell her or else the _barrage_ of phone calls and texts later will be unbearable. A few teases from her now will be worth the trouble.

He drowns out the noises of the castle, focusing more on himself. The click of his shoes on the tile. Each small sigh that escapes him as he squeezes through a particularly tight group of guests. The pleasant jingle of the badges pinned to his suit, and suddenly, he’s acutely aware of how much he must stand out against the parade of designer suits and gowns.

Fists clenched, he rubs his gloved fingers together as the anxiety and stress of being a newfound center of attention set in. He’s confident in himself, yes, but that doesn’t mean he likes unwanted attention. Judgemental gazes lingering just a second longer than appropriate wears his patience down more and more until he’s to the point of biting his cheek. _‘You’re here to be a good posterboy for GUN, Shadow. Don’t slip.’_

As he’s about to take a deep breath to steady himself, he gets shoved abruptly aside. In fact it wasn’t just him getting shoved back but a small group. He scowls as people start laughing. Someone a bit too tipsy for their own good seems to have been running about. One young girl, amidst her giggling sets a gentle hand on Shadow’s arm.

“Oh gosh! We’re so sorry sir! My friend is just a bit rambunctious tonight!” She offers a small smile and a laugh. Shadow finishes taking his breath, causing the girl to grow a bit nervous.

“It’s—“

_“No problem at all!”_

A sudden grip on his shoulders from behind surprises him before the familiar silky voice of Rouge replies for him. The bat smiles to the girl and then to Shadow, giving his shoulders a reassuring albeit also warning squeeze. She turns the hedgehog around and starts pushing on his back for them to get going, but waves back at the youngster before completely disappearing.

_“Take care sweetheart!”_

A few steps away, Rouge hurries to catch up to Shadow’s pace, stealing his hand and swinging it in-step with a grin. The hedgehog rolls his eyes but can’t help a small smile. Rouge always had a calming air about her, he’s grateful to have her as his best friend.

“How’s it goin’ Mr. Mystery? You seem more tense than usual, and that’s _saying_ something.”

“Something’s making me feel _sick_ almost.”

With that Rouge makes a dead stop. She puts her hands on her hips.

“Okay _time-out._ You don’t _get_ sick Mr. Ultimate-Lifeform.” She wags a finger at him, beginning to encircle and inspect the hedgehog. “And you don’t _look_ like you’re in bad shape.” She lifts one of his arms, to which Shadow rolls his eyes, “Not limp or anything.” Shadow jerks his arm back and continues walking. Rouge follows, arms crossed.

“Okay, so are you going to tell me what’s going _on?”_

“I don’t _know_ what’s ‘going on’, Rouge. But I don’t like it. Just… Something about being _here_  is really starting to get to me.”

“Well unfortunately you’re going to have to figure that out soon because we’re only 3 days in out of 7, and G.U.N. _needs_ us to represent here.”

Shadow grumbles, “ _Sure._ Needs us _here_ when we could be out in the field actually getting shit _done--_ OW!” The hedgehog shoots a sharp glare at Rouge as she bats him over the back of the head.

“Just _trust_ them and do this _once,_ and I promise that if you can get through this _one week,_ I will make sure that you don’t have to get all stuffy at one of these ridiculous parties again. I promise. So, can you play nice?” She holds a gloved hand out to him. Scalding red eyes look from her blue to her hand, then back up to her. He takes a deep, exaggerated sigh before taking her hand and shaking it. She smirks and slings an arm around his shoulders. “That’s the spirit!”

“Doesn’t make my mood better.”

“Well mister, are you sure that it’s some _thing_ at this party and not some _one?”_

That catches Shadow off guard and he instinctively grows defensive. He raises a brow and eyes her suspiciously.

“Now what’s that supposed to mean?”

Rouge gives a casual shrug. “You think I haven’t noticed you disappearing around the same time the past two nights? Always with that look in your eyes like you’re looking for someone before you do?”

“Are you _hinting_ at something?”

“If something wasn’t happening why’d you jump to that thought? Look Shadow I have eyes, and I’ve known you long enough to spot something out of the ordinary. So, you wanna share the _details?”_

Shadow scoffs and shoves past her, moving further into the castle, passing familiar halls and rooms like the previous night. Rouge persists.

“I’m invested now Shadow, and unless you want me figuring out on my own and _embarrassing you_ , it’d be a good idea to just tell me now.” She flies ahead and stops in front of him, taking his hands in hers. “And you can trust me, I won’t spill anything. It can be our secret. Unless it’s like, compromising national security.” She comments playfully with a shrug. That gets a hint of a smile at the edge of his mouth. Shadow stares at her then sighs and shrugs.

“ _Alright._ I’ve simply been spending some time with Sonic outside.” He tries keeping it casual, not exactly wanting to mention the dancing part. He wouldn’t hear the end of it. Rouge blinks. _Not the answer she was expecting._

“You’ve been hanging out with _Sonic?”_

“Yes.”

“ _Why?”_

“He doesn’t like parties like this either.”

“So you just stand around and complain back and forth for hours?”

Shadow hesitates, looking away briefly before mumbling. “Something like that…” He continues walking and moves past her. Rouge stands there in a state of somewhat disbelief. _Shadow is willingly spending time with Sonic. Chaos, he_ **_must_ ** _be sick._

 _“_ Excuse me, _‘Something like that’??_ What does _that_ mean?”

“Look Rouge, I don’t think that’s my problem so don’t worry about it.”

Rouge stumbles over her own words. _Not the problem. Is he even listening to himself??_ She jumps in front of him again, startling him, and grabbing him by the shoulders.

“Shadow I love you but please listen to yourself from _my_ perspective. You are suddenly casually hanging out with someone that _last_ week you would have pummeled for fun. Not only that but now that you’re hanging out and getting friendly with him you’re starting to feel ‘ _sick’._ ”

“You’re hinting at something and I don’t like it.”

“Oh yeah and when did you _start_ feeling bad? Was it around Sonic while you were _‘hanging’_?”

Shadow rolls his eyes to the heavens, brushing her off. “You’re crazy. The _Faker_ isn’t getting to me. End of story.”

“Oh _sure.”_ She sighs and shakes her head before falling in stride with him again. “Alright, if you don’t wanna talk now, that’s fine. But if this gets any more… Well, _you’ll know_ what I mean. I’ll be here to help you out. As always.” She winks.

He rests his hands in his pockets and huffs. “ _Right._ ” They continue in silence for a bit until reaching another door that leads outside, passing a few small groups coming inside in the process. The hedgehog’s ear flicks when the sound of Rouge’s heels stop at the doorway. It surprises him out of his thoughts and he looks back at her curiously. She gives a small smile and shrugs.

“One of us has gotta stick around until all the rich and powerful leave.” She rolls her eyes, “Plus I promised Sally to help clean-up tonight.”

A pang of guilt hits him in the chest for just abandoning his friend before the evening’s even half way over. Before he can take anything back though Rouge holds her hand up, keeping him from speaking.

“Don’t even worry. You already feel shitty and I can tell, forcing you to stay may just result in us having a _bigger_  mess to clean up. No offense.” She chuckles and Shadow’s tension visibly melts a bit as a small smile creeps across his face. He nods.

 _“Thank you,_ Rouge.”

“Aw, don’t get sappy with me yet. I’ve hardly done anything! Now _shoo!!_ Go… _I dunno,_ sleep or somethin’!”

He nods and waves her off as he continues out and starts his way down the steps, “ _Alright, alright. I’m going._ Good _night.”_ He can’t help a small chuckle at the goodbye. He lets out a large sigh, the frigid air feeling good and the familiar isolation comforting him. He glances up at the sky once he’s further away from the bright castle. More stars shining bright without the light pollution. He instinctively spots familiar constellations and stars, mapping out the sky above with little effort. Beautiful, just as always.


End file.
